1823: Named after Rugby School in Warwickshire, where William Webb Ellis "with a fine disregard for the rules of football as played in his time, first took the ball in his arms and ran with it, thus originating the distinctive feature of the rugby game". The place name Rugby is attested in the Domesday Book as Rocheberie, possibly equivalent to rook +‎ -by.

(usually uncountable) A form of football in which players can hold or kick an ovoid ball. The ball cannot be handled forwards and points are scored by touching the ball to the ground in the area past their opponent’s territory or kicking the ball between goalposts and over a crossbar.

The scrum is a distinctive element of rugby.

The two rugbies split following a debate about amateurism.

(countable) A loose fitting shirt with a collar, as worn by rugby players.

Rugby is commonly used to refer specifically to the game of rugby union – for example, the Rugby World Cup is a rugby union tournament. Referring to rugby league simply as rugby is less common outside the sport's strongholds.